The feature-rich 'Dutch Mountains' complex combines high tech and natural building materials and competes somewhat with the world's highest skyscrapers

In recent times, one record followed another in the world of wooden buildings. The ‘Dutch Mountains’ project is one of the latest records in the Netherlands. Up to date, it will become the largest wooden building on our planet and rise up in the Dutch city of Veldhoven which belongs to the region of Eindhoven. The combination of high tech and natural building materials results in a natural atmosphere ensuring an immediate sense of well-being as soon as you move in, without having to waive the service of, for instance, state-of-the-art central building control systems or an energy generating facade.

There is much more than just wood

Switch Between Day and Night

The ‘Dutch Mountains’ complex is not the first wooden record in the Netherlands. Not even two years ago, we reported about the construction of the 21-storey timber tower HAUT in Amsterdam.

… transform the complex into a full-featured green building dream

As the production of wooden materials requires less energy and leads to fewer pollutants compared to common construction materials like steel or concrete, the ‘Dutch Mountains’ can be called a real green building. As the responsible architect firm Vermeulen states, the building materials are non-leachable, reusable and even biodegradable. Additionally, the building use is highly flexible. Thanks to the fully data-driven and experience-directed smart building technology, spaces can be used in different ways with changed functions and needs within a day.

Rendering of the green area in the center of the ‘Dutch Mountains’ (Studio Marco Vermeulen)

Dutch Mountains In The City Of Veldhoven

The elongated ‘Dutch Mountains’ building will provide spaces for offices, a hotel, various conference centers, a parking lot and more. The large park in the center of the wooden project is a real enrichment in addition to the sustainable structure. It provides seating areas, a pond, walking trails and, of course, greenery. Even sheep, responsible for the maintenance, are part of the park.

A Wooden Structured High Tech Complex

And there is much more than mentioned above. The designer’s vision is a self-sufficient green complex. A naturally ventilated and illuminated parking garage, with solar generators equipped facades, a rooftop pool for swimming and firefighting in an emergency case, grey water purifying wetlands, a rainwater utilization system and the integrated geothermal power station transform the complex into a full-featured green building dream.

HAUT's cross laminated timber stores more than three million kilos of carbon dioxide

The production of wooden materials requires less energy and is less polluting than common construction materials like steel or concrete. Thus, it is a further possible component for the carbon-neutral city. On the other hand, steel has the advantage of being exactly calculable. Its material behavior does not change when it comes to changing stress directions. Timber is directionally dependent. It implies different properties in different directions. In brief, timber is anisotropic and inhomogeneous. However, that does not prevent the construction of the 21-storey timber tower HAUT by the Dutch river Amstel in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The municipality of Amsterdam has selected Team V Architecture to develop this remarkable high-rise structure (Team V Architecture)

Start of construction in 2017

Chosen by the municipality of Amsterdam, Team V Architecture and brand partner NLE will develop this exceptional high-rise structure. HAUT certainly has the potential to become the tallest timber tower in the world if things go the way the designer Team V Architecture expects. The start of construction works of this innovative prototype is expected in the second half of 2017. The cycle storage space and underground car park have an area of about 2,800 m². With about 55 different sized apartments, the total gross floor area of the 73 m high building is roughly 14,500 m².

HAUT’s cross laminated timber stores more than three million kilos of CO2 (Team V Architecture)

Timber tower with highest sustainability grade

The public urban winter garden in the base of the building improves the mental wellbeing. It is even possible for residents to grow their own vegetables. According to Team V Architecture, HAUT’s cross laminated timber stores more than three million kilos of carbon dioxide. Together with energy-generating facades and the collected and purified wastewater, this timber tower is targeting for a BREEAM Outstanding rating – the highest possible sustainability grade for green buildings.

(Team V Architecture)

Situated in Amstelkwartier

The timber tower HAUT is situated in Amsterdam’s residential neighborhood Amstelkwartier next to the River Amstel between Oud-Zuid and Watergraafsmeer. Additionally, the district will offer some 4,000 residential units in the near future, together with shopping opportunities and small business facilities. The new park Somerlust adjacent to the Amstel is also already open to the public.

(Team V Architecture)

HAUT is not the first timber tower project in this magnitude. For instance, a further tall wooden building is situated in India. It is called Hyperions and already under construction.